I worked at several education fairs last summer on behalf of the University of Exeter and there were a few questions that were popular from prospective students and their parents. I have compiled a list of questions and answered them here, hopefully it is helpful to all international students who may be wondering some of the same things.
1. What is the student life like in Exeter?
It really depends on the person you are, but you can meet all kinds of people here in Exeter so you can shape your lifestyle accordingly. There are over 200 societies so you shouldn’t have a problem finding one that you’re interested in joining. There is usually quite a lot going on social-wise, there are always events organised by different societies and they are generally open to student members and to the public.
Except for the ongoing assignments and coursework (final year is difficult), I still make time to dine out or have a drink with my friends. There are decent restaurants and pubs in town that can provide a place for students to hang out.
Your student life can be whatever you want it to be, you just have to be in charge of the lifestyle you choose. You can even find a part-time job if you want, you just have to find the balance in everything.
Exeter has an Instagram account run by a different student each week. Check it out to give you more of an idea of what student life is like at Exeter. https://www.instagram.com/exeterunilife/
2. Can I buy food from home in Exeter?
Yes, you definitely can! There are multiple international supermarkets in Exeter, along with the adequate amount of chained supermarkets like Tesco, Waitrose and Sainsbury’s, you will be able to buy most of the things you can find from home here in Exeter. If you can’t find exactly what you’re looking for – you can probably get something close to what you can find from home.
3. Where is Exeter? How far away is Exeter from London?
Exeter is in the south-west of England. It is 2.5 hours away from London via train and 4 hours via coach. The University has two campuses in Exeter: Streatham and St Luke’s and two in Cornwall: Penryn and Truro. The Cornwall campuses are around 5 hours from London.
I personally prefer travelling by coach because it is cheaper and trains make me anxious. However, you can get a railway card and a coach card for discounted tickets anytime.
Train: www.gwr.com
Coach: www.nationalexpress.com
4. How do you travel around the city and is it easy to get around?
People generally walk because Exeter is a rather small city and you can almost walk everywhere. Some students like to cycle or skate, which can be quite challenging considering Exeter is quite a hilly place. Parking spaces are limited on campus and in town, and most student halls don’t provide parking spaces so driving is not a popular option.
You can take the bus if you do not particularly enjoy walking everywhere. Taxi is another choice for you if you require travelling from point-to-point.
5. Are there a lot of international students in Exeter?
Don’t worry, you won’t be alone! There are over 5,000 international students from 140 different countries studying in Exeter with you. There are numerous international societies in the University to unite international students and for you to meet people from around the world. We celebrate festivals like Diwali and Lunar New Year on campus too, which are always great fun!
Check out the Exeter Students’ Guild website to see a full list of international societies.
6. What do you do for entertainment in Exeter?
I really enjoy spending time with my friends playing board games and cooking a meal together, simple things make me the happiest. Sometimes when we fancy going out, we would have dessert at Kaspa’s, go bowling at Ten Pin, take a quick trip to Ikea or have a meal at a new restaurant we haven’t been to yet.
These are just some examples of things you can do in Exeter; you can check out our blog post on Top Things to do in Exeter for more ideas.
7. Is there any academic support for international students?
I understand how it is difficult for international students to settle into a new environment, especially when English is not our native tongue. Yes, there is academic support for international students. There are English lessons, essay-writing workshops and more provided by the university. The professors in Exeter are all very friendly and they are happy to help if you want to drop them a question through email.
You can find out more about the support available on Exeter’s International Student Support website.